Pep Boys Charged for 3 hours of labor for 1 hour actual labor. Phoned and emailed. Told this was company policy, but nowhere on the form or instore signs indicated this policy. Jersey City New Jersey

Sorry to tell you this but you didn't get ripped off. I'm more than positive that they post a sign stating that they charge $xx.xx per hour for labor. Now in the auto business every vehicle has a book time of how long a repair should take. In your case the starter was 3 hours. Not all cars are the same. they charged you for what the time period was to fix the starter. Regardless of how long it takes them the book time is book time. This is how most technicians get paid. If it takes them 1 hour to fix it it still gets billed as 3 hours. That also works if it takes them 5 hours they only get 3. You can not punish a technician for being good. 

Your response is faulty. Pep Boys should have a sign in the store/and on the work order that states that there is flat labor charge of x amount per hour. If the customer is aware of that, then they would ask fof an estimated time of labor. Based on your experience in repairs of certain models, you would have been able to come up with an estimate and relay that to the customer, so that they can determine their further course of action. Customer are NOT AWARE of your POLICY on labor charges. So no, if I was informed of an approximate time of labor, which I was told would be three hours and it took three hours, I wouldn't have a legitimate compaint. Since on the form that I signed, it was stated three hours. Hiding Pep Boy's policy isn't fair to your customers and they should be made aware of this. I will present my case to upper management and go further to show the public how you do not disclose your policies. Had I been told it would take 10 hours, I would have made an about face and gone to a PROFESSIONAL CAR CARE CENTER. Have a nice day.

The simple fact is that you agreed to a part charge of $278 and a labor charge of $298.   If they did the job in 1 or 10 hours it doesn't matter.  This is why any "dispute" you put in with your credit card company will fail, as all they have to do is show your approval for the estimate.

Now, the reason they charged for 3 hours, is because like many mechanics they use standard labor guides that specific for a particular car, how long a specific repair should take.  Now there are several guides that are in use, and they may even use one specific for Pep Boys.

This repair estimate generally includes removing and reinstalling.  So if they had to remove the part to diagnose it, there is time there you are failing to account for.  In some cars it can take 1-3 hours to just be able to get to the Starter too get it off.  If you were charged a "diagnosis" fee that is separate and again separate from the actual repair because they are looking at other items.

Let me ask you this.  Say the tables were turned.  That is if it took them 4 hours to do the Repair, and they came back to you saying you owe them for an extra hour..what would you do?  Would you pay it, or would you tell them to "stick it" because you only agreed to 3 hours?  I think we all know the answer to that, so unfortunatly you can't have it both ways.  You can't on the one hand say that the agreed upon price is good for you if they try to charge more, but not good enough if you THINK they charged less.

Now, I will say one final thing.  Sometimes companies in the name of "customer service" will offer to give you some sort of credit.  If they do then great..but if they don't this is still not a ripoff.

 Its obvious that YOU PERSONALLY have NO IDEA about how labor is charged. EVERY business that charges for labor charges a FLATE RATE. Just because in YOUR instance they were able to finish in an hour doesn't change the FLATE RATE of 3 hours. A starter job is around 2 1/2 hours so they round up to 3 hours and THAT is what YOU are charged. You go right ahead and attempt to cancel this charge. Its going to be some funny s**t when your credit card company cancels YOU for INTENTIONAL FRAUD on your part. Because THAT is what YOU are doing. YOU did not ask what the labor charge was going to be, so instead of admitting that YOU screwed up YOU blame THEM and seek to PUNISH THEM for YOUR idiocy. That's not right and YOU KNOW THIS!!! They did a job for you and charged YOU a fair rate for the job. Yet YOUR self entitlement and complete lack of knowledge on vehicles prompts YOU TO STEAL FROM THEM!!!!! Yea your a sick one alright. YOU should be made to do a job such as theirs, then MAYBE you wouldn't be such a dunce. You can STOP playing the victim because YOU are just a THEIF!!!!!! There is NO LOGICAL REASON to cancel this charge except YOU WANT TO STEAL!!! YOU should be punished and I hope and pray that YOU get what will come to you from YOUR actions. I certainly HOPE you are NOT a church member....How you could walk into your church after a action like this is truly beyond me.